SUNRISE, Fla. – Brad Marchand admits he has regrets. He hadn`t wanted to leave the Boston Bruins, the team that drafted him in 2006, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2011, and which he captained for the last two seasons following Patrice Bergeron`s retirement. He dreamed of being a one-team player, a rare feat for veterans in a sport where movement is common.
Marchand regrets not being able to properly say goodbye to Boston fans before the NHL trade deadline. “I got hurt before I got traded. The last game I’ll ever play in a Bruins jersey was not the last game I thought I was ever going to play in a Bruins jersey,” he said.
His final home game in Boston was a loss to the New York Islanders on February 27. His last game overall with the Bruins was on March 3 in Pittsburgh. He was traded to the Florida Panthers on March 7, a result of a contract impasse with Boston management and the team`s decision to retool. He fought back tears during his first public appearance as a Panther, saying, “At the end of the day, I know the business is the business and everybody has a shelf life. I am grateful, beyond words, for everything that organization has done for me.”
Marchand also regrets not fully appreciating all his experiences in Boston. “When you come to the rink, it can be stressful. You start overthinking things. There’s this pressure you sometimes put on yourself. You start stressing about things that you don’t need to stress about,” he reflected. “I know that there are moments that I missed out on or didn’t really appreciate because I was stressing about other things.”
He cited the 2022-23 season as an example. Despite setting NHL records with 135 points as the most successful regular-season team in history, the Bruins were shockingly upset by the Panthers in a seven-game first-round series that ended in a somber atmosphere at TD Garden. “We thought we were going to go to the finals that year. We thought we were going to win it all, and then we got pushed out in the first round,” Marchand said. “You start looking back at those moments and you realize you took all we did that season for granted because we were so worried about going to the finals. We weren’t living in the moment.”
These are past regrets for the present Brad Marchand. The playoff disappointments, the split from the Bruins, the deadline trade – they were all jarring experiences that reshaped his mindset. “I’m just not going to do that to myself this time around,” he asserted. “I’m coming to the rink every day just having fun and trying to live in the moment, not taking anything too seriously.”
Marchand began to reflect on his mindfulness more deeply after arriving in Florida. “My family’s not here and I have a lot more time to sit home and think and go over things in my head than I normally do,” he explained. “Being here, they talk about being in the moment. Just going day by day. About taking time to reflect on things and appreciate them.”
And so, Marchand decided to simply enjoy his time during this run with the Panthers, who find themselves back in the Stanley Cup Final, aiming for a second consecutive championship against the Edmonton Oilers, whom they defeated in Game 7 last season. “I’m literally just trying to have fun out there and have fun in here,” he said, gesturing to the dressing room. “The Dairy Queen thing is a great example.”
The `Dairy Queen Thing`
The buzz about the “Dairy Queen thing” originated from an interview between Marchand and a reporter. Asked about a team trip to Dairy Queen during the Eastern Conference finals, Marchand was then shown a clip of himself eating something with a spoon during intermission of a Panthers game. The reporter lightheartedly asked if he was “refueling with a Blizzard” in the locker room.
Marchand enthusiastically praised the chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard as “the best dessert in the world” and jokingly made a plea to the company for a lifetime supply for his endorsement. “We had a little fun on the off day. There was a DQ by the hotel. We popped over and enjoyed our night,” Marchand explained about the *actual* visit.
This interview quickly went viral, with many fans and media outlets taking it literally that Marchand ate ice cream during a game. His teammates and coach were asked about the supposed locker room snack. Days later, Marchand finally clarified the situation directly when asked about eating ice cream during a game. “It wasn’t a Blizzard,” he said, with a tone suggesting the idea was absurd. “I was not eating a Blizzard in the middle of a game.”
Marchand explained he was referencing the Panthers` earlier trip to Dairy Queen during the interview. “I was referencing that. I was making a joke about our excursion a couple of nights before. Just kind of making a joke off of it and I think people took it seriously,” he stated. After the interview gained traction, Marchand`s phone was filled with messages from people saying his comments inspired them to visit Dairy Queen. “I appreciate the support,” he said. “I love a good Blizzard more than anybody, but it’s not something I’ve had in the middle of the game.”
For many, the humor wasn`t necessarily about whether he actually ate ice cream; it was a testament to his unpredictable nature that the notorious agitator *could* plausibly be enjoying spoonfuls of cookie dough ice cream during intermission. But it wasn`t ice cream or cookie dough or peanut butter. Marchand eventually revealed he was caught on camera consuming “something healthy.” “It was honey. I was having honey. It was a spoonful of honey.”
Asked if he ate honey because he`s sweet, he quickly retorted, “Because I’m a bear.” Marchand said he has always had an fondness for honey, recalling a childhood Winnie the Pooh doll he used to feed honey, leaving it sticky and hard. “I don’t think [my parents] enjoyed cleaning up the mess. But I had fun.” He paused for comedic effect, adding, “It’s what we do in Halifax. We feed teddy bears honey.” Everyone laughed.
Evolution of a Player
It remains somewhat surreal to consider Marchand`s journey from the start of his NHL career to where he is today. When the Bruins won the Cup in 2011, Marchand was a bold 23-year-old winger whose developing offensive game was often overshadowed by his on-ice antics. Famously, he used Vancouver Canucks winger Daniel Sedin as a punching bag in Game 6 of the Final, landing several punches without intervention from officials. When asked why he kept punching Sedin, he simply replied, “Because I felt like it.”
Early in his career, he also got a misspelled tattoo after the Cup win, initially reading “Stanley Cup Champians” before being corrected. He became known for accumulating suspensions, receiving six between 2011 and 2018, and another six-game ban as recently as 2022. He was a player as famous for antagonizing opponents as he was for scoring goals.
But in 2025, Marchand was described as an “elder statesman” for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off by coach Jon Cooper, who lauded his energy, passion, and ability to “find the fountain of youth” in tournaments. Cooper highlighted him as the loudest player on the bench, motivating teammates, noting that for someone with his tenure, he doesn`t have to exert that energy. Panthers coach Paul Maurice similarly praised Marchand`s constant intensity, saying, “He is such a unique guy. He’s as wired at breakfast as he is at game time.”
Fitting In
Maurice recalled his initial reaction when GM Bill Zito mentioned acquiring Marchand; unlike previous trade rumors (like Matthew Tkachuk or Seth Jones), Maurice felt this one was concrete because Zito brought it up. Maurice initially wondered if the team truly needed Marchand and how a 37-year-old would fit into a roster that largely just won the Stanley Cup. However, former Bruins teammates turned Panthers executives, Shawn Thornton and Gregory Campbell, strongly advocated for Marchand, assuring Maurice he would be an ideal fit despite concerns about integrating veteran stars.
Upon Marchand`s arrival, Maurice quickly understood how well he fit, both on and off the ice. He noted Marchand`s personality relieved pressure on the team`s quieter players (like Aleksander Barkov), providing someone willing to engage with media and bring vocal energy to the locker room. Maurice felt Marchand filled a void left by outgoing talkative players. Marchand has also shown maturity in handling the media himself, as seen in his dry response (“Yeah, I`m not much of a thinker”) when asked about an opponent`s intentional puck shot, a line Maurice later praised and joked about stealing.
On the Ice
On the ice, Marchand has primarily been paired with 23-year-old center Anton Lundell and 26-year-old winger Eetu Luostarinen during the Panthers` playoff run, forming one of the postseason`s most effective lines. In games played together, they`ve controlled over 55% of shot attempts and 56% of expected goals when on the ice at 5-on-5, boasting strong scoring rates while limiting opponents. Coach Maurice praised Marchand`s influence on the younger players, helping them expand their game by playing off him. All three have been productive offensively throughout the playoffs.
Marchand specifically offered high praise for Luostarinen, describing him as a skilled, smart player who plays a “man`s game,” competes hard for pucks, wins battles, and doesn`t force plays. Marchand highlighted Luostarinen`s defensive stickwork, saying it strongly reminds him of his former Bruins linemate and six-time Selke Trophy winner, Patrice Bergeron, noting how Luostarinen uses his stick defensively to break up plays and generate offense. Marchand enjoys playing with Lundell and Luostarinen because their playing styles are “simple and direct,” allowing them to complement each other effectively across the ice, support one another well, and create offense from contested areas.
He feels skating with them has been revitalizing. “They play fast and they play hard and they’re young, energetic guys. It keeps me feeling young,” Marchand said, adding with a laugh, “I’m lying to myself. I feel 25 again. I feel rejuvenated and part of that comes to playing with some younger guys and part of a really good group of guys in here.”
Former Rivals, Now Teammates
Marchand acknowledges he didn`t always view certain current teammates favorably, particularly when Matthew Tkachuk`s Panthers faced his Bruins in past playoffs. He described Tkachuk as a competitor with a deserved reputation, a gifted player around the net who brings “swagger” to the team. Asked what opponents must think facing both notorious instigators, Marchand joked that he felt sorry for them as they wouldn`t get a moment`s rest, adding it`s definitely better to be on Tkachuk`s side than against him.
He also discussed his relationship with Sam Bennett, who appeared to injure him with a punch in a previous series, sidelining Marchand without Bennett facing discipline. Despite the history, Marchand holds no grudge, understanding the game`s physical nature, which he plays similarly. He says they joke about the incident now, perhaps with Marchand bringing it up more often than Bennett. Coach Maurice commented on how intense hockey rivals can quickly become teammates with little animosity, often simply happy the battles are over. He even described Marchand and Bennett, fierce playoff adversaries just a year ago, as now “best friends,” something previously unimaginable.
Rat King Embrace
A year ago, Brad Marchand becoming a Florida Panther seemed improbable, but it makes perfect sense now: the “Rat King” joining the franchise whose fans celebrate wins by throwing plastic rats onto the ice. Marchand has embraced this tradition. After Panthers victories, teammates now often shoot the plastic rats at him as they leave the ice, a practice Marchand deadpanned is because “They see my family on the ice and want us to be together.”
He joked that as the playoffs have progressed, the rat throws have become harder, citing one from Matthew Tkachuk that he genuinely felt. Marchand is experiencing a mix of emotions these days. The sting of the trade lessens with each playoff win. He`s having more fun and stressing less among teammates with whom he has quickly bonded. And he`s just a few wins away from another Stanley Cup, the third Final appearance of his career since winning his first ring 14 years ago.
“It’s exciting. You hope that you get to this point. Obviously, we have a great team and we played well so far. We got to the point where we want to be, but we haven’t accomplished anything yet,” Marchand stated. “I may never get back this late in the playoffs ever again in my career. These are memories and moments that you want to embrace.”
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley